St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-13
Banker Harper Convicted and
Given a Ten Years
Sentence
For Squandering Other Peo-
pies Money on the Chi
cago Board of Trade.
Lynchers Foiled--The General
Record of Criminal
Intelligence.

y
the United States court room assembled
this morning long before the time for
the assembly of the court. At 10 O'Clock
Judge Sage appeared alone, Judge Jack
son having been called to hold court in
Covington. Court was opened and seven
minutes later the jury filed in. As soon
as they were seated Judge Sage asked
if they had decided on their verdict
and the foreman said they had. Harper,
his wife and her sister then entered.
When they were seated the clerk took
the sealed envelope enclosing the SEN
tence and read the fatal words: 1--WE,
the jury, find the defendant guilty as
charged in the indictment" This meant
guilty on all the thirty-three counts left
for the jury to act upon. Mr.. Blackburn
moved an arrest of judgment, which the
court instantly Overruled. Then Dis
trict Attorney Burnet moved for lmme-
date sentence and that the sentence be
cumulative.
JUDGE SAGE.
in a somewhat lengthy opinion, stated
the result of his investigation of the
question of cumulative sentences in a
case like this, and this gave some relief
to the SuddenneSS of the blow upon Mr..
Harper's family. He finally Overruled
the motion and asked if the defendant
had ANYTHING to say before sentence
was pronounced upon him. Mr.. Black
burn arose and said that the defendant
wished to speak through him, and to
say that he had nothing to add to what
had been said, except to thank the court
for its fair and impartial treatment, and
to ask that the court be as merclful as
the circumstances would permit. AL
1925 the court directed Harper to stand
up. 1t was most distressing scene.
The strong man stood erect with tears
coursing down his cheek, but no other
sign of emotion save his blanched face.
Behind his chair with bowed head
SAT HIS WIFE
in an agony that had no better manifes-
tation than the wringing of her hands.
Tears did not come to her relief. Miss
Matthews, far more demOnStrative, still
repressed sobs, and in her own distress
reached over to try and comfort her Sis
ter by touch. So they sat, while the
court, with impressive SOlmnity, recited
the usual form of sentence, saying the
evidence left no doubt of the prisoners
guilt ann that the OffenSe merited the
highest penalty of the law, which the
court would now impose, ten years i'll
the Ohio penitentiary, and that the
marshal convey him thither at once.
The silence was broken by Mr.. Black
burn making a last request from the
court. That was that the order of i'm
prisonment be suspended, and gave as
a reason that there was much business
to be attended to by Mr.. HARPER in
which his wife was closely connected,
and it would be exceedingly difficult to
o++onJ 70 ~ ,1Olacc Nh, Harppr pOnl6 rp-
main here for a few days. But the
court was relentless. Judge Sage said
there could be opportunity for his
wife to see him i'll Columbus, and he re-
peated the order to the marshal to con-
Vey him thither to-day. At 1890 the
Jury was discharged. and Marshal Tur-
ner conducted fine defendant to the
marshal's office. After the scenes in
the court room
HARPER AND HIS FAMILY
spent some time in the marShaFS Office
and then went to the jail, where he
spent the afternoon i'll the Jail prepar-
ing for his departure. The bedding, his
trunk and other property were taken
out and sent to his home. His family
Joined him and he babe them goodbye.
Mrs. Harper fingered after the others
had departed and her farewell was
spoken with him alone. A moment
afterward he appeared as unmoved as
ever. Shortly before o'clock a car
rage appeared at the Jail into which
Harper and the deputy marshals, Kier-
Sted and Costello, entered and were
driven to the Central passenger depot,
passing on the way his late residence on
Fourth street. Harper was placed in a
parlor car and curtains drawn. Here
Miss Matthews joined him, accompanied
by her father and brother. 1t has all
been done rapidly. The trial began two
weeks ago tomorrow. No time was lost
in argument; the verdict was given at
1919, the sentence at 1925, and at :05
the great head of the once famous Fidel-
ity bank was on his way to the Ohio
penitentiary at Columbus.
AT THE PRISON.
CoLU MBUs, o., Dec. 12.-The first
chapter in the great Chicago wheat deal
and the Fidelity bank wreck was con-
cluded tonight in the arrival of Henry
L. Harper at the Ohio penitentiary for
a term of ten years. He came with
many of the surroundings and as much
of nOtoriety attaching to the arrival of
a more than ordinary distinguished
criminal. The stations along the way
between Columbus and Cincinnati were
graced by interested crowds who made
their wants known as the train stopped,
they expressed desire to see Harper.
In this. however, they were not graft
fed, as the prisoner and deputies
occupied seats in the smoking apart
ment of the chair car and, with blinds
drawn. reached the Columbus depot
without the annoyance of curious eyes.
Mr.. Harper was welcomed to Columbus
by an audience of about 200, who had
gathered at the depot, and crowded in
to get the first sight of the eX-fnancier.
These consisted mainly of bank clerks
and a number of ladies. The party
proceeded at once to the dining room of
the depot, where Harper was tianked by
his wife and her sister on either side,
and the prisoner at once ordered supper
for each one of the party, not forgetting
the officers and newspaper men who had
accompanied him. While the supper
was being prepared the curiosity seeker
had good chance to Satiate his desire
to see the great wrecker. Harper bore
himself bravely under the circum-
stances, while his wife and Miss Mat
thews showed no signs of anguish.
After Harper and his relatives had en-
joyed their supper, the party entered
the carriage and
PROCEEDED TO THE PRISON,
which is about half mile distant 1t
was asfer 10 o'clock when they reached
the warden'S Office and there were
probably fifty persons present, many OF
whom were reporters. Mrs. Harper,
her sister and father accompanied Har-
per to the prison, as did also ID. p.
Hyatt, of Cincinnati, who was looking